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Monday, 24 July 2017

Review: Fly Away with Me (Blue Moon Harbor #1) by Susan Fox

Known for its rugged beauty and eccentric residents, tiny Blue Moon Harbor is big on love . . . For busy lawyer Eden Blaine, a trip to a Pacific Northwest
island she's never even heard of is far from a vacation. Eden's ailing
mother has tasked her with finding her long-lost aunt, who once had ties
to a commune on the island. Still reeling from a breakup with her
longtime boyfriend, romance is the last thing Eden is looking for. But
her gorgeous seaplane pilot has her wondering if a carefree rebound
fling is exactly what she needs. . . Aaron Gabriel has no illusions
about happily ever after. His troubled childhood made sure of that. But
he does appreciate a pretty woman's company, and Eden is the exact
combination of smart and sexy that turns him on. Still, as he helps her
search for her missing aunt, the casual relationship he imagined quickly
becomes something much more passionate--and much harder to give up. Can
two people determined to ignore romance recognize that their heated
connection is the kind of love destined to last?

Paperback

Expected publication:
July 25th 2017
by Zebra

Terri's Thoughts
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! The expected publication is July 25, 2017.

When I first started this story I was really excited as Eden was from Ottawa which is where I live. After reading thousands of books in my lifetime thus far, I finally came across the story that takes place in my own backyard. Sort of....the story for the most part takes place on the island of Destiny however Ottawa features heavily throughout (more on this later).

I'm having a difficult time sharing my thoughts on this story as I feel like I have a split personality when it comes to my enjoyment factor of the story.

The first half of the story was great. A beautiful rugged island, a beautiful man, quirky townsfolk and a mystery to solve. That is a great combination. To be honest, the fact that Eden was trying to locate a long lost relative was more appealing than the romance aspect. I love a story that tries to solve a puzzle from the past so I was invested from the get go in the search for the elusive Aunt Lucy. The fact that Aaron and Eden had an attraction was just a bonus. I loved that they set ground rules that it was just a fling because we all know how well that really works out don't we!

The second half of the story started to drag for me. This occurred pretty much from the moment Eden returned home until the end of the story. To me, this part went on simply too long. After Eden's time in Destiny, I had expected that the story would start preparing to wrap up, that Eden and Aaron would find a way to make it work, or not, and then it would be done. Instead, it was almost like there was a second story. The reader gets to explore their love story in a different geographic setting (Ottawa), there obstacles however remained the same and nothing was really different. I felt this part could have been shorter and it did impact my enjoyment of the story.

Even though I have mixed feelings about this story, I see potential as to where this new series will go. I believe the next story will feature Aarons sister and there are so many possibilities when it comes to her character. I will be watching for the next instalment.

Public Service Announcement: I feel the need to defend my adopted hometown of Ottawa after reading this story. I know it was featured to depict the contrast between Destiny and a city but I feel Ottawa was unfairly depicted as a big bad city. As far as cities go, it is pretty small and rather beautiful and historic. It is not the concrete playground that other bigger cities (which will remain nameless) in Canada can be. If you are going to settle in a city, Ottawa is the perfect balance of city amenities with the feel of a large town. It was accurately depicted as a conservative government town I must admit. It was also fun to see familiar places mentioned such as the Byward Market (or known as only the market to us locals), Gatineau park, and of course parliament. I must also say good choice with the location of Eden's parent house in the Glebe, a historic and expensive area for homes. I digress, just wanted to express my thoughts!

About the Author

Susan’s "Love Somebody Like
You" was a 2016 finalist for Romance Writers of America®’s prestigious
RITA® award. Her books have won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the
HOLT Medallion, the Booksellers Best Award, the Book Buyers Best Award,
the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold Readers Choice, the
Golden Quill, the More Than Magic, the Lories, the Beacon, and the
Laurel Wreath. "Sex Drive" was a Cosmopolitan Red-Hot Read.

Susan’s books have been translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and German. Many are available as audio books.

Susan
has presented workshops at the Romance Writers of America® National
conference, the Surrey International Writers Conference, Word on the
Lake (Salmon Arm), the RT Booklovers Convention, and regional RWA®
conferences. She has spoken at library events and to reader groups. Her
articles have been published in Romance Writers Report, RT Book Reviews,
NINK (the Novelists Inc. newsletter), Love Letter (Germany), and RWA
Chapter newsletters.

Susan is a Pacific Northwester with homes
in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and
psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial
student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far
her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the
power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor.WebsiteFacebook